Electronic Submission of Building Plans

As progress is made toward refining the building permitting process, the following description shall serve as the guideline for the electronic submittal and processing of building permit applications and plans. This process strictly is optional. However, using this option likely will reflect more efficient permit processing time resulting in faster permit turnaround.

Electronic Plan & Application Submittal

All digital files shall be PC compatible. All digital documents shall be in Portable Document Format (.pdf) and compatible with Adobe Acrobat Version 9.0 or earlier. Any files submitted that are not in PDF format will not be accepted.

There will be three options:

Upload to the City of New Smyrna Beach website

USB flash drives

CD-ROM

An engineered site specific site plan or survey shall be submitted along with a building application
One digital file is required to be submitted and set up into four (4) separate files.

Mandatory requirement to label each PDF file as indicated below:

Original Plans.pdf

Building Plans.pdf

Energy Forms.pdf

Approved Options.pdf

File Descriptions

Original Plans will contain a complete set of architectural plans, details and all required attachments. File A will be the originally digitally signed and secured plans. The engineer or architect will secure document to ensure no changes or modifications (except printing) are allowed.

Building Plans will contain a complete set of architectural plans, details and all required attachments. File B will be unsecured and unsigned. This file will be utilized by the building plans examiner for application of appropriate stamps, security settings and digital signature. The plans examiner will secure documents to ensure no changes or modifications except printing.

Energy Forms will contain the full set of Energy Forms, Energy Display Card and Manual J Form added by the builder/engineer/architect. No security or signatures are necessary or required. The plansexaminer will review and approve these documents electronically.

Approved Options will contain any options that pertain to the model submitted. The file will be used by the plans examiner during the review process to ensure the options selected on the list pertain to that model.

Identification Requirements

All PDF files that are submitted on a compact disc (CD) must have the disc and sleeve case properly labeled with the contractor’s name, phone number and address of the construction location. It is important to label the disc and the sleeve/case.

Bookmarks are required on every electronic plan submission.

Each submitted .pdf file shall include bookmarks that clearly identify each sheet in the file.

Document security

All engineered plans will require a 128-encryption digital signature to verify the engineer’s authenticity of the seal. This signature then will be verified by the plans examiner during plan review.

Pan Scale & Paper Size

The design professionals will be required to set the scale of their drawings to no less than 1/8” = 1’0” and print to 11” x 17” paper. In case where 1/8’ scale is not feasible on 11” x 17”, 24” x 36” size is acceptable.

Font Type & Size

All text shall be no smaller than 8 pt size and in either Times New Roman or Arial font style.

Page / File Orientation

All sheets shall be properly oriented so that the top of the page always is the top of the monitor. A 3” x 3” area at the top left corner of each page shall be left empty for the placement of the plan examiner’s approval stamps and signature. All architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing plans shall be in one file so that the plans examiner may scroll through the file and have the ability to view all pages without opening another file. Where there are different design professionals for each discipline, the architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing plans may be in separate files as long as all sheets for each discipline are contained in a single file.

Scanned Documents

Portable document format (PDF) documents produced by scanning paper documents usually are inferior to those produced from an electronic source. Documents that only are available on paper should be scanned at resolutions that will ensure pages are legible both on the computer screen and when printed. We highly recommend scanning at 300 dots per inch (dpi) to balance legibility and file size.

Reviewer’s Responsibilities

Original Plans will be viewed only for structural plan review by the Plans Examiner.

Building Plans will be approved via watermark, digitally signed and secured the Plan Examiner

Energy Forms will be reviewed by the plans examiner and watermark/approval stamps affixed

Approved Options will be reviewed by the plan examiner and watermark/approval stamps affixed

Approval distribution

Original Plans: Signed and secured plan

Building Plans: City of New Smyrna Beach approved signed and secured plan

Energy Forms: Approved Energy Forms

Approved Options: will be burned to a new CD and distributed to the permit applicant at time of permit payment and pick-up.

Contractor Site Requirements

The applicant will be required to have a hard-copy of all City-approved documents (Building Plans, Energy Forms, and Approved Options) at the job site for the inspector’s use. The size and dimension of the print out shall be such that it is legible and readable. Plans, site plan and surveys shall be 11” x 17” or larger with other associated documentation being 8 ½” x 11” or larger.

Expiration Date

All current plans on file shall expire one year from the date of approval.